The Touch of  Wizards
by Dross25
Summary: The Magus Brothers of Witchenly chose to walk seperate paths long ago. However, when 1 brother makes an impromptu visit to another, the events that follow entangle several denizens and sets the stage for a renewed struggle within the Continent of Server.
1. Enter Wizardmon: One Purpose

The Mage Brothers. (Magusmon, Wizardmon, Sorcerymon.)

Magusmon stood at the edge of the balcony, looking out at the full moon whose glow had engulfed most of Darkwing Keep. He folded his arms and closed his eyes, contemplating the vision that he had seen in his dreams a few hours ago.

A knock at his door brought him from his thoughts and he slightly turned his head, quietly whispering the word "Enter," before turning his sights back to the full moon.

Slowly, the door to his quarters creaked open and another digimon slowly entered. Magusmon didn't even turn to face him, for he knew the dull plodding of that old staff and the rasping of that raggedy cloak from anywhere.

"It's been a long time, my brother," Magusmon said quietly as he turned to face Wizardmon, his twin brother. "I see some things never change."

Wizardmon stood before his brother, a physical reflection of himself, yet easily discernible from him. Wizardmon wore raggedy yellow clothing with numerous tears and magical gaping maws across his legs and an obviously worn blue cloak. Magusmon, on the other hand, wore a nicely threaded deep blue clothing about his body, sporting only perfections in the fabric and whore a silk red cape at his back.

"Old habits die hard," Wizardmon laughed, taking in his brother's exotic surroundings. "I'll never be able to understand your need for such trivial things."

"And I'll never understand why you insist upon walking around the digital world looking like THAT," Magusmon approached his brother. "Now, for the big question." The two wizards locked eyes, as if knowing what was on the other's mind. "What are you doing here. And better yet: How did you get here?"

"You should get better guards," Wizardmon chuckled. "Those two drunken Soulmon aren't doing you much good at the gate."

Magusmon sighed. "Those two idiots. Myotismon would have their hats if he ever found out." Magusmon once again locked eyes with his brother. "But you didn't answer my first question: Why are you here?"

Wizardmon shrugged. "I can't make an impromptu visit to my twin brother?"

Magusmon spat. "You and I both know that you, of all people, don't worry about trivial pursuits of that nature. The only reason that you would ever visit would either be if I was on my deathbed, or the visit would in some way benefit you personally."

Wizardmon laughed and closed his eyes. "I see you do know me very well. Okay then, Magusmon, here it goes. A few nights ago I had a dream. A dream involving your leader Myotismon."

Magusmon raised a brow. "Really? What kind of-." "You've had the same dream, haven't you?"

Magusmon eyed his brother, realizing he had to choose his words carefully. Wizardmon wasn't a digimon to interrupt another while they were talking, and that in itself meant that his brother was tense and on the edge.

"I've had a dream, yes."

"Did the dream involve a cat digimon named…Gatomon?"

Magusmon narrowed his eyes. "Wizardmon, you're pointing your staff in places they ought not be pointed. I suggest you leave and never return to this place."

"On the contrary, Magusmon. Gatomon is a friend of mine, and in my dreams, I saw her fall at the hands of your leader. And that, my brother, is not something that I can allow to happen."

Magusmon's eyes widened. "That's not what I-." He stopped, realizing he'd said too much.

"What did YOU see?" Wizardmon walked toward him. "I need to know."

Magusmon's eye quivered, glancing to the far corner where his staff stood. Cursing, he stepped back and Wizardmon continued his advance.

"You can't expect me to tell you that information, my brother. It would jeopardize everything I have worked toward." "And yet if I don't know what it is you have seen, it may very well be the end a digimon I have loved and cared for. And as I said before, that is something I cannot allow to -."

Magusmon tackled his brother to the ground, surprising and stunning Wizardmon as they both went tumbling. Magusmon immediately jumped to his feet and dashed for his staff grabbing hold of it only moments before a Thuderball sizzled into his back and dropped him to the ground. Wizardmon stood over him as he turned, his staff pointed directly in Magusmon's face.

"You wouldn't dare," Magusmon whispered, staring at Wizardmon's staff. "We promised our mother, Wizardmon. We…promised that despite our type differences, that we would never-."

"I'm not going to destroy you, brother…If you give me what I want." "I CAN'T do that Wizardmon! You cannot expect me-."

Wizardmon reached out and grasped hold of his brother's hat, speaking an incantation. Magusmon fell into a trance, his mind opening up to Wizardmon's.

"…I am the Prince of Darkness…"

"Your tyranny ends here, Myotismon…Your evil has…"

"…I do not answer to the likes of you…"

"Now…Celestial Arrow!"

"It will take more than that…I can't…defeated by the likes of…"

Wizardmon stumbled back, repulsed by Magusmon's counter spell. Righting himself, he immediately prepared his Thunderball attack and fired, his spell colliding with Magusmon's Fire Wave. The ball forced its way through Magusmon's Firewave, smashing into Magusmon and paralyzing him, while the remaining Firewave engulfed Wizardmon's body. Fighting through the flames, Wizardmon rose, his cloak charred beyond recognition and his clothing singed. He walked toward his brother, hardly able to stay on his feet.

"You saw a premonition of your master's fall. But I saw a premonition of my friend Gatomon's destruction. This can only mean one thing: If you tell Myotismon what it is you have seen, then he will come after my friend and destroy her. But if he doesn't find out…from you…then my friend Gatomon will be safe."

The electricity cackled through Magusmon's body, but he still managed to crack a smile. "It doesn't matter, Wizardmon. I am a faithful and loyal servant of the lord Myotismon, and relayed everything I saw to him the moment I awoke. Though I have yet to completely decipher the message, Myotismon can find only one meaning to it: He must destroy this digimon, your Gatomon, before she digivolves to Angewomon." Wizardmon was silent as his brother spoke those words, his eyes staring out at the night sky of the Digital World. Sighing after a long moment, he looked at this brother, who was slowly beginning to overcome the paralysis, and shook his head. "I had planned to return within the month. I promised her I would return soon…but it seems that fate has conspired against that promise. But I will see to it that she remains safe. That is one promise I will NOT break."

Wizardmon raised his staff, his eyes fixing upon Magusmon. "I am sorry to do this, my brother, but as I have said before, I cannot allow your master to harm Gatomon. She is the world to me…more important than anything the Digital World could ever offer." Wizardmon raised his staff, beginning to speak an incantation. Dust from around the room began to rise from the ground, and even more began to enter Magusmon's quarters through the window. The ball of dust began to amass above Wizardmon's head, slowly forming into a dense mass.

Magusmon, realizing what Wizardmon was about to do, doubled his efforts in breaking the paralyzing effects of the Wizardmon's Thunderball. Before long, he had broken the effects of paralysis and fell forward, the momentum throwing him to his knees. But as he looked up, all he could do was say "Dammit," as the ball of dust rushed toward him, engulfed his body, and locked him in place.

Sighing, Wizardmon fell back against the wall, sinking to the ground as his wounds began to overcome him.

"It seems I've overdone it today," he said to himself, barely able to keep himself awake. "I've risked much coming here tonight…but hopefully, with a little of my wizard's luck, I'll make a difference." He once again looked at the moon, closing his eyes. "Sleep tight, my dear Gatomon…I won't be there to watch you fall asleep tonight."

Sorcerymon opened his eyes from his deep meditation. Calling his staff to him, he stood from his mediation square and began to walk through the halls of the Crystal Palace. Upon finally reaching his destination, the Center Garden, he took to knee in the center of the garden and removed his hat.

"My Lord Magnus of the Holy Trinity, I have dreamt the dream that we have been waiting for."

From above, a great eight winged angel descended from the sky above, touching down before Sorcermon. He stood up straight, looking down at his friend and teacher with a slight smile on his face.

"Sorcermon, how many times must I tell you? You need not bow before me: You and I are friends. And more than anything, you are my teacher."

Sorcermon stood to his feet, still holding a hand over his chest. "You must continue to tell me, Lord Magnus, for despite what you believe and what may very well be true, I am still your servant, forever and always."

Sighing, MagnaAngemon put his hand to his helmet. "As you wish. Now, what were you saying? I didn't hear your exact words."

Sorcermon's eye twitched. "I have found her, Magnus. The third piece to the Holy Trinity."

At those words, Magnus went rigid. "You speak truth?"

Sorcermon nodded slowly.

"Where is she, how can she be found?"

"My instincts tells me that she lies to the far east, nowhere here on the Continent of Directory. She lives beyond its shores."

Magnus put his hand to his chin.

"My Lord, we must act."

"If you have seen her, then most likely our enemies know of her as well. We will have to muster a force and retrieve-."

"My Lord Magnus, a mission of this magnitude requires subtlety, cunning, and skill, all of which are traits that I command. Allow me to go after her…alone. I will retrieve her and bring her here. Our enemies will never suspect."

Magus turned away, weighing his options.

"Trust me, my Lord Magnus. The enemy will never be able to pinpoint her exact location. I happen to know their greatest tracker…personally. And even if he were to pinpoint her EXACT location, which not even I have managed to do, Myotismon would most likely send an entire regiment after her. Which takes time. And by then, I will have already found and spirited her off to safety."

"You think Myotismon will attempt to step into this conflict?"

Sorcermon shrugged. "Call it a hunch, but I believe he has something at stake in this. Sorcerer's intuition."

Magnus smirked and once again turned away.

"Very well, Sorcermon. Depart at once and find the last of the Trinity before our enemies do. And see to it that you keep her…and yourself…safe."

Though unseen by all, Sorcermon cracked a smile. "Now Magnus: When have you ever known ME not to play it safely?" Magnus looked over his shoulder. "I can think of a few instances. One of which led me to digivolve to my current state in order to save you."

"…I vaguely remember that."

"You would, you were on the verge of dying half the-."

"I'll return within the month, my friend. In the meantime, see to it that you don't manage to let the palace fall out of the sky while I'm gone."

And before Magnus could counter, Sorcermon spoke the incantation and twirled his staff, disappearing from the Center Garden.

Finally left to himself, Magnus turned his sights to the blue sky above him. "I pray that this union of the three Celestial beings turns the tides in this battle. For if it does not…then the palace my indeed fall before he returns."


	2. Becoming the Magus of Blackwing Keep

Wizardmon slowly opened his eyes, feeling the rays of the shining sun against his body. For a moment he sat in a daze, not quite sure where he was and yet for some reason feeling as if he were in danger. However, it all eventually came back to him and Wizardmon sighed out loud and grasped his staff. Despite the night's rest, his brief battle with his brother still left him in pain and upon standing to his feet, he felt as if he would fall to the ground once again.

"Fire," Wizardmon spat, looking at the figure of his brother as he leaned against his staff. "You always were one to see another being suffer from his wounds." Righting himself, Wizardmon walked over his brother's frozen figure, then looked around his room, realizing that they had made more a mess than he'd realized: Magusmon's desk lay toppled over to the ground, an ink spatter upon the ground and the quill nowhere to be seen, while a bookcase where he had fallen into his slumber stood behind him, it too obviously caught in the fires of Magusmon's attack.

"The easy part's done Wizardmon said grimly. "I can fix all of this up in just a few words. But impersonating you…" Wizardmon's gaze drifted to the right of him where a mirror stood in the corner. "Of course, you WOULD have a full size mirror to look at yourself in." Wizardmon walked over to the mirror and stared at it for a moment, then closed his eyes, contemplating. Then he opened his eyes and spoke a slow phrase and his apparel shifted. The gaping maws across his leggings disappeared and the yellow darkened and shimmered into a deep royal blue. Then his hat turned from grey black to orange red, followed by his gloves and boots. Looking himself over, he noted that this was the best his imagination could come up with: He simply lacked Magusmon's vanity and perception to COMPLETELY imitate his apparel, however it was still close enough for him to deceive the denizens of Blackwing Keep for his mission. Except for the cloak. The cloak he wore was nowhere near the perfection to his brother's.

"I'm sure that no one will notice."

Turning his sights away from the mirror, he looked back at the Magus' study. Speaking another phrase, the room righted itself in hurried efficiency, although, once again, Wizardmon noted that it was not as polished as it had originally been, but he also knew that Magusmon didn't receive many visitors, and when he did, it was usually at night.

Going to Magusmon's desk, Wizardmon searched the drawers in search of something of use. There, he found a plethora of Magusmon's journals, each of them detailing certain aspects of life within Blackwing Keep, from his personal responsibilities as Head Administrator to his personal profiling of the Keep's numerous inhabitants, in particular the Key Personnel and his personal dealings, feelings, and vendettas with them.

"Hmm…he still hasn't learned how to make friends…with the exception of the guard…the Soulmon." Magusmon shrugged. "Very well."

Once he felt that all was in order, (after a slight tweak to his wardrobe) and he had deigned as much knowledge from Magusmon's journals and then taking the time to run certain scenarios in his head, Wizardmon turned his sights to the door. Shivering, "This is it." Wizardmon closed his eyes, once again committing his objectives to memory. However, his thoughts drifted to something else, something very close to him: the large eyes of her staring back at him, him kneeling down to pull her close in embrace.

"After this little adventure of yours, you make sure that you come back to me in one piece."

"Do not worry, my Angel of the Light: I will return by the end of the month, I promise."

Though he knew he would never be able to keep the promise of time, his resolve strengthened ever more. He would return to Gatomon after he had dealt with this issue, and they would live as they had for years: In peaceful bliss. With those thoughts on his mind, Wizardmon grabbed hold of his staff twisted the knob, and walked out into the world of Blackwing Keep; no longer Wizardmon of File Island, but Magusmon, Magus to the Lord Myotismon of Blackwing Keep.

Upon stepping out of Magusmon's/his quarters, Wizardmon immediately found himself greeted by a Soulmon standing in his face. He started at the sight of the ghost wearing a hat and the Soulmon reacted in turn, shouting, "Holy crap!" as he hurried away from Magusmon's inner space.

Magusmon glared at the Soulmon, who immediately bowed, shouting, "Sorry boss! I didn't mean to-"

"You're fine," Magusmon said quickly. "What do you want? Or did Phantomon send you to spy on me again?"

Soulmon's mouth fell open at those words and he seemed at as loss. "Wha?" He stared for a moment, obviously confused, flustered, and very much horrified at what Magusmon might do to him. Then, "N, no, nothin like that Boss, I think he learned his lesson tha las time! Tha Tree sent me here to tell you that he needed to speak to you, he said it's urgent!"

Magusmon went numb at those words.

"You mean Cherrymon?" He was under the impression that Cherrymon was incapacitated at the moment from the journal entries he'd read and he knew that if there was a Digimon who could out him, it would be the ancient Tree.

"Yeah, him! He said it was of the unmost importance! Sumthin bout already bein late of sumthin."

Magusmon nodded, his hand on his chin in thought.

"…Can I like, ya know…leave now?"

Magusmon nodded slowly. "Yes, yes, you are dismissed."

"Thank you Boss!" the Soulmon hovered away as quickly as he could.

"Wait!" Magusmon called.

Soulmon stopped dead in his invisible tracks and hurriedly turned to face him. "What!" Magusmon once again glared at him. "Er.. I mean, yeah Boss?"

"Why are you so jittery?"

"Tha Big Boss caught two of the guys sleepin on that watch, drunk outta their minds! He digitized him on the spot, I saw the whole thing! Then he absorbed their data! He's hella pissed and says if anyone of us screws up, he'll have our hats too! So I can't be late for my shift!"

Magusmon rolled his eyes. "I'll see to it that you're not touched, if you do one thing for me."

"Sure boss!"

"Take me to…the Tree."

Magusmon walked out into the garden located at the back side of the Keep. It was a secluded area, tended to by several slave Floramon with some Mushroommon running around playing and torturing their slaves. Upon seeing Magusmon, however, all of the Digimon fled from his path and took to hiding, all of them knowing too well Magusmon's bad habit of setting one or two of them on fire whenever he made a visit to the garden.

Laughing to himself, Magusmon turned his sights to the great tree which stood at the center of the small forest, surrounded by a small moat. Stopping at the moats edge, Magusmon noted the massive amount of dead leaves littering the ground.

"Why is he still awake?" he asked himself. Then, out loud, "Cherrymon, it's me. You sent for me, so now I am here: Speak!"

The great tree was silent for a moment, but eventually the bare tree limbs above began to shake and tremble and a face, complete with dark eyes, and green mustache, appeared in the tree trunk. It's eyes opened slowly for a moment, focusing upon the figure of Magusmon, then the mouth began to move. "Ah yes, Magusmon."

The two digimon locked eyes with one another, Magusmon doing his best to hide his true nature from the ancient and observant advisor while Cherrymon too stared him down, looking deep into his eyes to find some sort of trickery, as he always did, within him. Then, finally deciding there was no deception in his rival, Cherrymon's eyes drifted, focusing instead upon the digimon itself.

Raising an eyebrow, "…Have you finally lost the vanity that you have so effortlessly flaunted over the past 15 revolutions? I've been around a long time, but I never thought I would see the day when you, of all digimon, would like…non extravagant. I mean where are your jewels?" Cherrymon laughed aloud.

Magusmon's stare turned into a spiteful glare, his eyes narrowed. "I was up late last night contemplating the premonition I had. Then I awake only hrs later to find a Soulmon banging down my door saying that the 'Tree' needed to see me immediately. I run through halls of the damned castle to meet you here, and now all I hear from you is your judgment of my-"

"Oh silence, you long-winded child," Cherrymon said, waving his cane at him. "You still can't take a joke, can you? One of these days, I want to see you, front and center so that you can listen to-" Cherrymon stopped, noting the frustration on Magusmon's face. "Going back to business…Myotismon told me about the premonition you relayed to him before he went hunting last night." Once again, Cherrymon locked eyes with him. "I suppose that what you said to him was truth, and not another one of your elaborate schemes to gain power."

Magusmon turned away from him, disgust on his face. "I've no time for your foolish questions, Tree!" he spat, walking back toward the corridors of Blackwing Keep.

"Wait, Magusmon," Cherrymon said quietly. Magusmon looked over his shoulder. "You speak truth, yes?"

Magusmon nodded slowly. "I am a faithful and loyal servant of the Lord Myotismon."

"For now," Cherrymon added quickly. Magusmon grunted. "And as am I. However, I will soon be going into Winter Hibernation, later this day in fact." Cherrymon paused for a moment, once again locking eyes with Magusmon. "When I awake…I would like to see Blackwing Keep still intact. And Myotismon…in good health."

"What exactly, are you trying to say, Cherrymon?"

"You and I both know that if left unchecked, how unruly, violent, and unreasonable Myotismon can be. As we stand, we are not ready for a war on the continent. And with Magnus now running things in the Crystal Palace, and Myotismon's personal past with him…"

"You need not worry, Ancient One," Magusmon said, finally turning to face the Tree. "I will keep him in check as best I can, however, as you yourself said, you know how he is. And this most recent revelation will not sit idly with him…" A thought came to Magusmon's mind even as he spoke, "And if we track this Gatomon into Alliance territory, or worse yet, into the Alliance, he will go after her and there will be no stopping him."

Cherrymon nodded. "I'm trusting you, Magusmon: I've gone on as long as I can, and I'm already late to hibernation." Magusmon felt the ground beneath rumbling as Cherrymon's roots dug deeper into the ground. "I don't expect a miracle when I come back, but I do expect your full effort to avoid open warfare while I am gone. Else you'll find both yours and his future dreams and plans in the flames…." Cherrymon's voice began to fade. "It's up you now…Magus…mon…" And the face disappeared and the Tree stood still.

Magusmon stood there, contemplating Cherrymon's words and his own plans. "With him out of the way, the only one I need worry about now is Phantomon. And I'm sure that I'll be able to maneuver around him with ease. And even better…" Wizardmon's plan shook him to his very core, however it was the only real way he could see to ending Myotismon's search for his beloved. "If I find another Gatomon, make her the target…" Wizardmon closed his eyes. "Then mine will be safe." He looked up into the sky, feeling his resolve waiver. Then, once more, he saw Gatomon's eyes. "No, I must do this. I must. This…this is the only way." Clenching his fists, Wizardmon once more adopted his brother's persona and became Magusmon, Magus to the Lord Myotismon of Blackwing Keep.

Once again turning toward Blackwing Keep, Magusmon pointed a finger at a cowering Floramon, her body bursting into flame.


End file.
